Regeneration work in Barichara, Colombia is on the leading-edge of the story of Bioregional Earth. Barichara is demonstrating that in all holistic, on-the-ground regeneration work, there's an opportunity to do something better than conventional carbon offsets.

Many companies purchase carbon offsets for the travel of their employees, for example, as a way to invest in the environment. Yet there are many problems with current carbon markets. How do you know if your offsets lead to real-world impacts in terms of improved ecosystems and community resilience?

This photo shows an area where a large tree planting was done – 2,000 sapling trees each planted about two metres apart. It's only been a few months, and many of the saplings are already dead. People think this is the way to "grow a forest." But there's almost nothing ecological about digging a bunch of holes, planting many trees at once, then watching most of them die in the first year. Carbon myopia creates ecological illiteracy about what a forest actually is.

Contrast mass tree plantings with the regenerative forest Joe Brewer is helping grow – layers in which bushes and shrubs flourish, trees are planted by birds who poop seeds into the thicket, and soils accumulate each year as ecology unfolds.

Instead of checking a sustainability box in an anonymous carbon offset program, small-to-medium-size companies can try something different. What if you had a real relationship with the work on the ground? What if you had trust in the expertise of the local people, and could follow the regenerative results over time?

Donate the money you would spend on carbon offsets to Regenerate Barichara. Your employees will be invited to track progress through a combination of social media reporting, regularly-scheduled Barichara Update sessions, and opportunities to visit Barichara and see the work for themselves.

We want to build partnerships with conscientious people all over the world. Relationships are what matter most. You can be part of the story in Barichara and the larger story of Bioregional Earth. Find out more about Better Than Carbon Offsets by emailing info@bioregionalearth.org.